to that goodlie round Were lodgings with a Garden to the same With sweetest flowers that eu'r adorn'd the groūd And all the pleasures that delight hath found T'intertaine the sence of wanton eies Fuel of loue from whence lusts flames arise Heere I enclos'd from all the world asunder The Minotaure of shame kept for disgrace The Monster of Fortune and the worlds wonder Liu'd cloistred in so desolate case None but the King might come into the place With certaine Maides that did attend my need And he himselfe came guided by a threed O Iealousie daughter of Enuy ' and Loue Most wayward issue of a gentle sire Fostred with feares thy fathers ioyes t' improue Mirth-marring Monster borne a subtile lier Hatefull vnto thy selfe flying thine owne desire Feeding vpon suspect that doth renue thee Happie were Louers if they neuer knew thee Thou hast a thousand gates thou enterest by Condemning trembling passions to our hart Hundred eyed Argus euer-waking Spie Pale Hagge infernall Furie pleasures smart Enuious Obseruer prying in euery part Suspicious fearefull gazing still about thee O would to God the loue could be withuot thee Thou didst depriue through false suggesting feare Him of content and me of libertie The onely good that women hold so deere And turnst my freedome to captiuitie First made a prisoner ere an enemie Enioynd the ransome of my bodies shame Which though I paid could not redeeme the same What greater torment euer could haue beene Then to inforce the faire to liue retir'd For what is beauty if it be not seene Or what is 't to be seene vnlesse admir'd And though admir'd vnlesse in loue desir'd Neuer were cheeks of Roses locks of Amber Ordain'd to liue imprison'd in a Chamber Nature created beauty for the view Like as the fire for heat the Sun for light The faire do hold this priuiledge as due By ancient Charter to liue most in sight And she that is debarr'd it hath not right In vaine our friends from this do vs dehort For beauty will be where is most resort Witnes the fairest streets that Thames doth visite The wondrous concourse of the glittering Faire For what rare women deckt with beauty is it That thither couets not to make repaire The solitary Country may not stay her Heere is the center of all beauties best Excepting DELIA left t' adorne the West Heere doth the curious with iudiciall eies Contemplate beautie gloriouslie attired And herein all our chiefest glorie lies To liue where we are prais'd and most desired O how we ioie to see our selues admired Whilst niggardlie our fauours we discouer We loue to be belou'd yet scorne the Louer Yet would to God my foot had neuer mou'd From Countrie safetie from the fields of rest To know the danger to be highlie lou'd And liue in pompe to braue among the best Happie for me better had I beene blest If I vnluckilie had neuer straide But liu'd at home a happie Country Maide Whose vnaffected innocencie thinks No guilefull fraude as doth the Courtlie liuer She 's deckt with truth the Riuer where she drinks Doth serue her for her glasse her counsell giuer She loues sincerely and is loued euer Her daies are peace and so she ends her breath True life that knowes not what 's to die til death So should I neuer haue beene registred In the blacke booke of the vnfortunate Nor had my name enrold with Maides misled Which bought their pleasures at so hie a rate Nor had I taught through my vnhappie fate This lesson which my self learnt with expence How most it hurts that most delights the sense Shame followes sinne disgrace is duly giuen Impietie will out neuer so closely done No walls can hide vs from the eie of heauen For shame must end what wickednes begun Forth breaks reproch when we least think theron And this is euer proper vnto Courts That nothing can be done but Fame reports Fame doth explore what lies most secret hidden Entring the closet of the Pallace dweller Abroad reuealing what is most forbidden Of truth and falshood both an equall teller T is not a guard can serue for to expell her The sword of iustice cannot cut her wings Nor stop her mouth from vtt'ring secret things And this our stealth she could not long conceale From her whom such a forfeit most concerned The wronged Queen who could so closely deale That she the whole of all our practise learned And watcht a time when least it was discerned In absence of the King to wreake her wrong With such reuenge as she desired long The Laberinth she entred by that threed That seru'd a conduct to my absent Lord Left there by chance reseru'd for such a deed Where she surpriz'd me whom she so abhord Enrag'd with madnes scarce she speakes a word But flies with eager furie to my face Offring me most vnwomanly disgrace Looke how a Tygresse that hath lost her whelpe Runs fiercely raging through the woods astray And seeing her selfe depriu'd of hope or helpe Furiously assaults what 's in her way To satisfie her wrath not for a pray So fell she on me in outragious wife As could disdaine and iealousie deuise And after all her vile reproches vs'd She forc'd me take the poison she had brought To end the life that had her so abus'd And free her feares and ease her iealous thought No crueltie her wrath would leaue vnwrought No spightfull act that to reuenge is common No beast being fiercer than a iealous woman Here take saith she thou impudent vncleane Base gracelesse strumpet take this next your hart Your loue-sick hart that ouer-charg'd hath beene With pleasures surfeite must be purg'd with arte This potion hath a power that will conuart To nought those humors that oppresse you so And Gerle I le see you take it ere I go What stand you now amaz'd retire you backe Tremble you minion come dispatch with speed There is no helpe your Champion now you lack And all these teares you shed will nothing steed Those daintie fingers needs must do the deed Take it or I will drench you els by force And trifle not least that I vse you worse Hauing this bloodie doome from hellish breath My wofull eyes on euery side I cast Rigor about me in my hand my death Presenting me the horror of my last All hope of pitie and of comfort past No means no power no forces to contend My trembling hands must giue my self my end Those hands that beauties ministers had been They must giue death that me adorn'd of late That mouth that newly gaue consent to sin Must now receiue destruction in thereat That bodie which my lust did violate Must sacrifice it selfe t' appease the wrong So short is pleasure glory lasts not long And she no sooner saw I had it taken But foorth she rushes proud with victorie And leaues m' alone of all the world forsaken Except of Death which she had left with me Death and my selfe alone togither be To whom she
issue found For sorrow shut vp words wrath kept in teares Confus'd affects each other do confound Oppress'd with griefe his passions had no bound Striuing to tell his woes words would not come For light cares speak wheÌ„ mighty griefs are dombe At length extremity breakes out a way Through which th' imprisoned voice with teares attended Wailes out a sound that sorrowes do bewray With armes a-crosse and eies to heauen bended Vaporing out sighes that to the skies ascended Sighes the poore ease calamity affoords Which serue for speech wheÌ„ sorrow wanteth words O heauens quoth he why do mine eies behold The hatefull raies of this vnhappy funne Why haue I light to see my sinnes controld With blood of mine own shame thus vildly done How can my sight endure to looke thereon Why doth nor blacke eternall darknes hide That from mine eies my hart cannot abide What saw my life wherein my soule might ioy What had my daies whom troubles stil afflicted But only this to counter poize annoy This ioy this hope which Death hath interdicted This sweet whose losse hath all distresse inflicted This that did season all my sowre of life Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Vext still at home with broiles abroad in strife Diffention in my blood iarres in my bed Distrust at boord suspecting still my life Spending the night in horror daies in dread Such life hath Tyrants and this life I led These miseries go mask'd in glittering showes Which wise men see the vulgar little knowes Thus as these passions do him ouer-whelme He drawes him neere my body to behold it And as the Vine married vnto the Elme With strict imbraces so doth he infold it And as he in his carefull armes doth hold it Viewing the face that euen death commends On sencelesse lips millions of kisses spends Pittifull moutla saith he that liuing gauest The sweetest comfort that my soule could wish O be it lawfull now that dead thou hauest This sorrowing fare-well of a dying kisse And you faire eyes containers of my blisse Motiues of loue borne to be marched neuer Entomb'd in your sweet circles sleepe for euer Ah how me thinks I see Death dallying seekes To entertaine it selfe in Loues sweet place Decaied Roses of discoloured cheekes Do yet retaine deere notes of former grace And vglie Death sits faire within her face Sweet remnants resting of vermillion red That Death it selfe doubts whether she be dead Wonder of beautie oh receiue these plaints These obsequies the last that I shall make thee For loe my soule that now alreadie faints That lou'd thee liuing dead will not forsake thee Hastens her speedie course to ouer-take thee I le meete my death and free my selfe thereby For ah what can he doe that cannot die Yet ere I die thus much my soule doth vow Reuenge shall sweeten death with ease of minde And I will cause poste ritie shall know How faire thou were aboue all women kinde And after-ages monuments shall finde Shewing thy beauties title not thy name Rose of the world that fwoetned so the fame This said though more desirous yet to say For sorrow is vnwilling to giue ouer He doth represse what griefe would else bewray Least he too much his passions should disouer And yet respect scarce bridles such a Louer So faire transported that he know not whither For Loue and Maiestied dwell ill togither Then were my funerals not long deferred But done with all the rites pompe could deuise At Godstow where my bodie was interred And richly tomb'd in honourable wise Where yet as now scarce any note descries Vnto these times the memorie of mee Marble and Brasse so little lasting bee For those walls which the credulous deuour And apt-beleeuing ignorant did found With willing zeale that neuer call'd in doubt That time their works should euer so confound Lie like confused heapes as vnder-ground And what their ignorance esteem'd so holy The wiser ages do account as follie And were it not thy fauourable lynes Re-edified the wracke of my decayes And that thy accents willingly assignes Some farther date and giue me longer dayes Few in this age had knowne my beauties praise But thus renew'd my fame redeemes some time Till other ages shall neglect thy rime Then when confusion in her course shall bring Sad desolation on the times to come When mirth-lesse Thames shal haue no Swan to sing All Musique silent and the Muses dombe And yet euen then it must be knowne to some That once they flourisht though not cherisht so And Thames had Swannes as well as euer Po. But here an end I may no longer stay thee I must returne t' attend at Stigian flood Yet ere I go this one word more I pray thee Tell DELIA now her sigh may doe me good And will her note the frailtie of our blood And if I passe vnto those happie banks TheÌ„ she must haue her praise thy pen her thanks So vanquisht she and left me to returne To prosecute the tenor of my woes Eternall matter for my Muse to mourne But ah the world hath heard too much of those My youth such errors must no more disclose I le hide the rest and grieue for what hath beene Who made me known must make me liue vnseene FINIS William the Conquerour William Rufus Henry 1. King Stephen Henry 2. Rich. t. K. Iolm Henry 3. Edwa. 1 Edward 1 Edward 3 Edward the black prince who died before his father Rich 2. 1 Froisart Pol. Virg. Hall der huer it in this sort The Duke of Anibarle sonne to the Duke of Yorke This Percy was Earle of Woster and brother to the Earle of Northumberland The Bishop of Carlile Montague Earle of Salisbury Ienico d' Artois a Gascoyn The Bishop of Castile Lex Amnestiâ—s Arundell Bishop of Canterbury The Sir Thomas Bluns This knight was Sir Pierce of Exton Dioclesian the Emperor Omen Glenden Rich. 2. The son to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland The Prince of Wales Which was Sir Walter Blunt Another Blunt which was the kings Standard bearer Sir Hugh Shorly Hen. 5. Hen. 5. At Southhaton Richard Duke of Yorke The Duke of Somersit a great enemy to the Duke of Yorke had euer enuied his prefermeÌ„t This Rainer was Duke of Aniou only inioid the title of the K. of Sicilia Which were deliuered vp to her father vpon the match His frer Duke of Gloster Articles obiected against de la Poole Duke of Suffolke Iack Cade The Dukes of Britany and Burgundio The Loâ—â—… Lisie Virtue A Sea Horse
To vnknowne costes some to the shores do flie Some to the woodes or whether feare aduisd But running from all to destruction hye The breach once made vpon a battered state Downe goes distresse no shelter shroudes their fate 53 O now what horror in their soules doth grow What sorrowes with their frendes and nere allyes What mourning in their ruin'd houses now How many childrens plaints and mothers cryes How many wofull widowes left to bow To sad disgrace what perisht families What heires of hie rich hopes their thought smust frame To bace-downe-looking pouerty and shame 54 This slaughter and calamitie forgoes Thy eminent destruction wofull king This is the bloudie comet of thy woes That doth fortell thy present ruyning Here was thy end decreed when these men rose And euen with their this act thy death did bring Or hastened at the least vpon this ground Yet if not this another had beenbe found 55 Kinges Lordes of times and of occasions May take th' aduantage when and how they lift For now the Realme with these rebellions Vext and turmyld was thought would not resist Nor feele the wound when like confusions Should by this meanes be stayd as all men wist The cause be'ing once cut off that did molest The land should haue her peace and he his rest 56 He knew this time and yet he would not seeme Too quicke to wrath as if affecting bloud But yet complaines so far that men might deeme He would t were done and that he thought it good And wisht that some would so his life esteeme As rid him of these feares wherein he stood And therewith eies a knight that then was by Who soone could learne his lesson by his eie 57 The man he knew was one that willingly For one good looke would hazard soule and all An instrument for any villanie That needed no commission more at all A great ease to the king that should hereby Not need in this a course of iustice call Nor seeme to wil the act for though what 's wrought Were his own deed he grieues should so be thought 58 So soule a thing ô thou iniustice art That tortrest both the doer and distrest For when a man hath done a wicked part O how he striues t' excuse to make the best To shift the fault t'vnburthen his charg'd hart And glad to finde the least furmise of rest And if he could make his seeme others sin O what repose what easelie findes therein 59 This knight but ô why should I call him knight To giue impiety this reuerent stile Title of honour worth and vertues right Should not be giuen to a wretch so vile O pardon me if I doe not aright It is because I will not here defile My vnstaind verse with his opprobrious name And grace him so to place him in the same 60 This eaitise goes and with him takes eight more As desperat as himselfe impiously bold Such villaines as he knew would not abhorre To execute what wicked act he would And hastes him downe to Pomfret wherebefore The restles king conuaid was laide in hold There would he do the deed he thought should bring To him great grace and fauour with his king 61 Whether the soule receiue intelligence By her nere Genius of the bodies end And so impartes a sadnesse to the sense Forgoing ruine whereto it doth end Or whether nature else hath conference With profound sleope and so doth warning send By prophetizing dreames what hurt is neere And giues the heauie carefull hart to feare 62 How euer so it is the now sad king Tost here and there his quiet to confound Feeles a straunge waight of sorrowes gathering Vpon his trembling hart and sees no ground Feeles so dayne terror bring cold shiuering Lists not to eat still muses sleepes vnfound His sences droope his steedy eye vnquicke And much he ayles and yet hee is not sicke 63 The morning of that day which was his last After a weary rest rysing to paine Out at a little grate his eyes he cast Vppon those bordering hils and open plaine And viewes the towne and sees how people past Where others libertie makes him complaine The more his owne and grieues his soule the more Conferring captiue-Crownes with freedome pore 64 O happie man faith hee that lo I see Grazing his cattel in those pleasant fieldes O if he knew his good how blessed hee That feeles not what affliction greatnes yeeldes Other then what he is he would not bee Nor chaung his state with him that Scepters weildes O thine is that true life that is to liue To rest secure and not rise vp to gricue 65 Thou sit'st at home safe by thy quiet fire And hear'st of others harmes but feelest none And there thou telst of kinges and who aspire Who fall who rise who triumphs who doe mone Perhappes thou talkst of mee and dost inquire Of my restraint why here I liue alone O know tis others sin not my desart And I could wish I were but as thou art 66 Thrice-happie you that looke as from the shore And haue no venter in the wracke you see No sorrow no occasion to deplore Other mens trauayles while your selues sit free How much doth your sweet rest make vs the more To see our misery and what we bee O blinded greatnes thou with thy turmoyle Still seeking happie life mak'st life a toyle 67 But looke on mee and note my troubled raigne Examine all the course of my vext life Compare my little ioyes with my long paine And note my pleasures rare my sorrowes rife My childhood difrent in others pride and gaine My youth in daunger farther yeares in strise My courses crost my deedes wrest to the worst My honour spoild my life in daunger forst 68 This is my state and this is all the good That wretched I haue gotten by a crowne This is the life that costes men so much bloud And more then bloud to make the same their owne O had not I then better beene t' haue stood On lower ground and safely liu'd vnknowne And beene a heards man rather then a king Which inexperience thinkes so sweet a thing 69 O thou great Monarch and more great therefore For skorning that whereto vaine pride aspires Reckning thy gardens in Illiria more Then all the Empire took'st those sweet retires Thou well didst teach that ô he is not poore That little hath but he that much desires Finding more true delight in that small ground Then in possessing all the earth was found 70 But what do I repeating others good To vexe mine owne perplexed soule the more Alas how should I now free this poore bloud And care-worne body from this state restore How should I looke for life or liuely-hood Kept here distrest to die condemnd before A sacrifice prepared for his peace That can but by my death haue his release 71 Are kings that freedom giue themselues not free As meaner men to take what they maie giue O are
conclusion all is brought This is that rest this vaine world lends To end in death that all things ends ACTVS TERTIVS PHILOSTRATVS ARIVS HOW deepely Arius am I bound to thee That sau'dst from death this wretched life of mine Obtaining Caesars gentle grace for mee When I of all helps else dispaird but thine Although I see in such a wofull state Life is not that which should be much desir'd Sith all our glories come to end their date Our Countries honour and our own expir'd Now that the hand of wrath hath ouer-gone vs Liuing as 't were in th' armes of our dead mother With bloud vnder our feet ruine vpon vs And in a Land most wretched of all other When yet we reck on life our deerest good And so we liue we care not how we liue So deepe we feele impressed in our blood That touch which Nature with our breath did giue And yet what blasts of words hath learning found To blow against the feare of death and dying What comforts vnsicke eloquence can sound And yet all failes vs in the point of trying For whilst we reason with the breath of safety Without the compasse of destruction liuing What precepts shew we then what courage lofty In taxing others feares in counsell giuing When all this ayre of sweet-contriued words Proues but weake armour to defend the hart For when this life pale feare and terror boords Where are our precepts then where is our arte O who is he that from himselfe can turne That beares about the body of a man Who doth not toile and labour to adiorne The day of death by any meanes he can All this I speake to th' end my selfe t' excuse For my base begging of a seruile breath Wherein I grant my selfe much to abuse So shamefully to seek t' auoide my death Arius Philostratus that selfe same care to liue Possesseth all alike and grieue not then Nature doth vs no more then others giue Though we speak more then mē we are but mē And yet in truth these miseries to see Wherein we stand in most extreame distresse Might to our selues sufficient motiues be To loath this life and weigh our death the lesse For neuer any age hath better taught What feeble footing pride and greatnesse hath How ' improuident prosperitie is caught And cleane confounded in the day of wrath ' See how dismaid Confusion keepes those streetes That nought but mirth and musique late resounded How nothing with our eie but horror meeres Our state our wealth our pride and all confounded Yet what weake sight did not discerne from far This black-arisingtempest all confounding Who did not see we should be what we are When pride and ryot grew to such abounding VVhen dissolute impietie possest Th' vnrespectiue mindes of prince and people VVhen infolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts with lust ease made feeble Then when vnwary peace with fat-fed pleasure New-fresh inuented ryots still detected Purchac'd with all the Ptolomies ritch treasure Our lawes our gods our mysteries neglected VVho saw not how this confluence of vice This inundation of disorders must At length of force pay backe the bloody price Of sad destruction a reward for lust O thou and I haue heard and read and knowne Of like proude states as wofully incombred And fram'd by them examples for our own VVhich now among examples must be numbred For this decree a law from high is giuen An auncient Cannon of eternall date In Consistorie of the starres of heauen Entred the booke of vnauoided Fate That no state can in height of happinesse In th' exaltation of their glory stand But thither once ariu'd declining lesse Ruine themselues or fall by others hand Thus doth the euer-changing course of things Runne a perpetuall circle euer turning And that same day that hiest glory brings Brings vs vnto the point of back-returning For sencelesse sensualitie doth euer Accompany selicitie and greatnesse A fatal witch whose charmes do leaue vs neuer Till we leaue all in sorrow for our sweetnesse When yet our selues must be the cause we fall Although the same befirst decreed on hie Our errors still must beare the blame of all This must it be earth aske notheauen why Yet mighty men with wary iealous hand Striue to cut off all obstacles of feare All whatsoeuer seemes but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet held so deere And so intrench themselues with blood with crimes With all iniustice as their feares dispose Yet for all this we see how oftentimes The meanes they worke to keepe are meanes to lose And sure I cannot see howe this can stand With great Augustus safety and his honor To cut off all succession from our land For her offence that puld the wars vpon her Phi. Why must her issue pay the price of that Ari. The price is life that they are rated at Phi. Casario to issued of Caesars blood Ari. Pluralitie of Caesars are not good Phi. Alas what hurt procures his feeble arme Ari. Not for it doth but that it may do harme Phi. Then when it offers hurt represse the same Ari. T is best to quench a sparke before it flame Phi. T is inhumane an innocent to kill Ari. Such innocents sildome remaine so still And sure his death may best procure our peace Competitors the subiect deerely buies And so that our affliction may surcease Let great men be the peoples sacrifice But see where Caesar comes himselfe to try And worke the mind of our distressed Queene To apprehend some falsed hope whereby She might be drawn to haue her fortune seene But yet I thinke Rome will not see that face That queld her champiōs blush in base disgrace SCENA SECVNDA CAESAR CLEOPATRA SELEVCVS DOLABELLA Caes. WHat Cleopatra doost thou doubt so much Of Caesars mercy that thou hid'st thy face Or dost thou thinke thy ' offences can be such That they surmount the measure of our grace Cleo. O Caesar not for that I flie thy sight My soule this sad retyre of sorrow chose But that my'oppressed thoghts abhorring light Like best in darknes my disgrace t' inclose And here to these close limits of despaire This solitarie horror where I bide Caesar I thought no Roman should repaire More after him who here oppressed dyde Yet now here at thy conquering feete I lie Poore captiue soul that neuer thought to bow Whose happie foote of rule and Maiestie Stood late on̄y same ground thou standest now Caes. Rise Queene none but thy selfis cause of all And yet would all were but thine owne alone That others ruine had not with thy fall Brought Rome her sorowes to my triumphs mone For breaking off the league of loue and blood Thou mak'st my winning ioy a gain vnpleasing Sith th' eye of griefe must looke into our good Thorow the horror of our own blood shedding And all we must attribute vnto thee Cleo. To me Caesar what should a woman doe Opprest with greatnes what was it for me To contradict my
did force me say Ah ROSAMOND what doth thy flesh prepare Destruction to thy daies death to thy fame Wilt thou betraie that honor held with care T' entombe with blacke reproch a spotted name Leauing thy blush the colours of thy shame Opening thy feet to sinne thy soule to lust Gracelesse to lay thy glorie in the dust Nay first let th' earth gape wide to swallow thee And shut thee vp in bosome with her dead Ere Serpent tempt thee taste forbidden Tree Or feele the warmth of an vnlawfuli bed Suffring thy selfe by lust to be misled So to disgrace thy selfe and grieue thine heires That Cliffords race should scorne thee one of theirs Neuer wish longer to inioy the aire Then that thou breath'st the breath of chastitio Longer then thou preseru'st thy soule as faire As is thy face free from impuritie Thy face that makes th'admir'd in euerie eie Where Natures care such rarities inroule Which vs'd amisse may serue to damne thy soule But what he is my king and may constraine me Whether I yeeld or not I liue defamed The world will thinke authoritie did gaine me I shall be iudg'd his Loue and so be shamed We see the faire condemn'd that neuer gamed And if I yeeld t is honourable shame If not I liue disgrac'd yet thought the same What waie is left thee then vnhappie maid Whereby thy spotlesse foote maie wander out This dreadfull danger which thouseest is laid Wherein thy shame doth compasse thee about Thy simple yeeres cannot resolue this doubt Thy youth can neuer guide thy foote so euen But in despight some scandale wil be giuen Thus stood I ballanc'd equallie precize Til my fraile flesh did weigh me downe to sin Till world and pleasure made me partialize And glittering pompe my vanitie did win When to excuse my fault my lusts begin And impious thoughts alledg'd this wanton clause That though I sinn'd my sinne had honest cause So well the golden balls cast downe before me Could entertaine my course hinder my way Whereat my retchlesse youth stooping to store me Lost me the gole the glorie and the day Pleasure had set my well school'd thoughts to play And bade me vse the vertue of mine eies For sweetly it fits the faire to wantonise Thus wrought to sin soone was I traind from Court T' a solitarie Grange there to attend The time the King should thither make resort Where he Loues long-desired worke should end Thither he dayly messages doth send With costlie Iewels Orators of Loue Which ah too well men know do women moue The day before the night of my defeature He greets me with a Casket richly wrought So rare that arte did seeme to striue with nature T' expresse the cunning work-mans curious thought The mysterie whereof I prying sought And found engrauen on the lidde aboue Amymone how she with Neptune stroue Amymone old Danaus fairest Daughter As she was fetching water all alone At Lerna whereas Neptune came and caught her From whom she striu'd and strugled to be gone Beating the aire with cries and piteous mone But all in vaine with him she 's forc'd to go T is shame that men should vse poore maidens so There might I see described how she lay At those proude feet not satis-fied with prayer Wayling her heauie hap cursing the day In act so pitious to expresse despaire And by how much more grieu'd so much more faire Her teares vpon her cheekes poore carefull gerle Did seeme against the Sunne christall and pearle Whose pure cleer streams which so fair appears Wrought hotter flames O miracle of loue That kindles fire in water heat in teares And makes neglected beautie mightier proue Teaching afflicted eies affects to moue To shew that nothing ill becomes the faire But crueltie which yeelds vnto no prayer This hauing viewd and there with something moued Figured I find within the other squares Transformed Io Ioues decrelie loued In her affliction how she strangely fares Strangely distress'd O beautie borne to cares Turn'd to a Heiffer kept with iealous eies Alwayes in danger of her hatefull spies These presidents presented to my view Wherein the presage of my fall was showne Might haue fore-warn'd me well what would ensue And others harmes haue made me shun mine owne But fate is not preuented though fore knowne For that must hap decreed by heauenly powers Who worke our fall yet make the fault still ours Witnes the world wherein is nothing rifer Then miseries vnkend before they come Who can the characters of chaunce decipher Written in cloudes of our concealed dome Which though perhaps haue been reueald to some Yet that so doubtfull as successe did proue them That men must know they haue the heauens aboue thē I saw the sinne wherein my foot was entring I saw how that dishonour did attend it I saw the shame whereon my flesh was ventring Yet had I not the powre for to defend it So weake is sence when error hath condemn'd it We see what 's good and thereto we consent But yet wee choose the worst and soone repent And now I come to tell the worst of ilnes Now drawes the date of mine affliction neere Now when the darke had wrapt vp all in stilnes And dreadfull black had dispossess'd the cleere Com'd was the night mother of sleepe and feare Who with her Sable-mantle friendly couers The sweet-stolne sports of ioifull meeting Louers When loe Iioy'd my Louer not my Loue And felt the hand of lust most vndesired Enforc'd th'vnprooued bitter sweet to proue Which yeelds no mutuall pleasure when t is hired Loue 's not constrain'd nor yet of due required Iudge they who are vnfortunately wed What t is to come vnto a loathed bed But soone his age receiu'd his short contenting And sleepe seald vp his languishing desires When he turnes to his rest I to repenting Into my selfe my waking thought retires My nakednes had prou'd my sences liers Now opned were mine eies to looke therein For first we taste the fruit then see our sin Now did I find my selfe vnparadis'd From those pure fields of my so cleane beginning Now I perceiu'd how ill I was aduis'd My flesh gan loathe the new-felt touch of sinning Shame leaues vs by degrees not at first winning For nature checks a new offence with loathing But vse of sinne doth make it seeme as nothing And vse of sinne did worke in me a boldnes And loue in him incorporates such zeale That iealousie increas'd with ages coldnes Fearing to loose the ioie of all his weale Or doubting time his stealth might else reueale H 'is driuen to deuise some subtill waie How he might safeliest keepe so rich a praie A statelie Pallace he foorth-with did build Whose intricate innumerable waies With such confused errours so beguild Th'vnguided entrers with vncertaine straies And doubtfull turnings kept them in delaies With bootlesse labour leading them about Able to find no waie nor in nor out Within the closed bosome of which frame That seru'd a Center
did her full reuenge refer Oh poore weake conquest both for him and her Then straight my conscience summons vp my sin T' appeare before me in a hideous face Now doth the terror of my soule begin When eu'ry corner of that hatefull place Dictates mine etror and reueales disgrace Whilst I remaine opprest in euery part Death in my bodie horror at my hart Downe on my bed my loathsome selfe I cast The bed that likewise giues in euidence Against my soule and tels I was vnchast Tels I was wanton tels I followed sence And therefore cast by guilt of mine offence Must heere the right of heauen needes satisfie And where I wanton lay must wretched die Heere I began to waile my hard mishap My suddaine strange vnlookt for miserie Accusing them that did my youth intrap To giue me such a fall of infamie And poore distressed ROSAMOND said I Is this thy glory got to die forlorne In Dezarts where no eare can heare thee morne Nor any eye of pittie to behold The wofull end of thy sad tragedie But that thy wrongs vnseene thy tale vntold Must here in secret silence buried lie And with thee thine excuse togither die Thy sin reueal'd but thy repentance hid Thy shame aliue but dead what thy death did Yet breathe out to these walls the breath of mone Tell th' ayre thy plaints since men thou canst not tell And though thou perish desolate alone Tell yet thy selfe what thy selfe knowes too well Vtter thy griefe where with thy soule doth swell And let thy hart pittie thy harts remorse And be thy selfe the mourner and the Corse Condole thee here clad all in blacke dispaire With silence onely and a dying bed Thou that of late so flourishing so faire Did glorious liue admir'd and honoured And now from friends from succor hither led Art made a spoyle to lust to wrath to death And in disgrace forc'd hecre to yeeld thy breath Did Nature O for this deliberate To shew in thee the glory of her best Framing thine eye the star of thy ill fate And made thy face the foe to spoile the rest O beautie thou an enemy profest To chastitie and vs that loue thee most Without thee how w' are loath'd and with thee loft O you that proude with libertie and beautie And ô may well be proude that you be so Glitter in Court lou'd and obseru'd of durie O that I might to you but ere I goe Speake what I feele to warne you by my woe To keep your feet in pure clean paths of shame That no inticing may diuert the same See'ng how against your tender weaknes still The strength of wit of gold and all is bent And all th' assaults that euer might or skill Can giue against a chaste and clean intent Ah let not greames worke you to ' consent The spot is forde though by a Monarch made Kings cannot priuiledge a sinne forbade Lock vp therefore the treasure of your loue Vnder the surest keyes of feare and shame and let no powers haue powre chast thoughts to moue To make a lawlesse entry on your fame Open to those the comfort of your flame Whose equall loue shall march with equall pace In those pure waies that lead to no disgrace For see how many discontented beds Our owne aspiring or our Parents pride Haue caus'd whilst that ambition vainely weds Wealth and not loue honor and nought beside Whilst married but to titles we abide As wedded widowes wanting what we haue When shadowes cannot giue vs what we craue Or whilst we spend the freshest of our time The sweet of youth in plotting in the aire Alas how oft we fall hoping to clime Or wither as vnprofitably faire Whilst those decaies which are without repaire Make vs neglected scorned and reprou'd And ô what are we if we be not lou'd Fasten therefore vpon occasions fit Least this or that or like disgrace as mine Do ouer-take your youth to ruine it And clowde with infamie your beauties shine Seeing how many seeke to vndermine The treasurie that 's vnpossest of any And hard t is kept that is desir'd of many And flie ô flie these Bed-brokers vncleane The monsters of our sexe that make a pray Of their owne kind by an vnkindly meane And euen like Vipers eating out a way Th'row th'wombe of their owne shame accursed they Liue by the death of Fame the gaine of sin The filth of lust vncleannes wallowes in O is it not enough that we poore wee Haue weaknes beautie gold and men our foes But we must haue some of our selues to bee Traitors vnto our selues to ioyne with those Such as our feeble forces doe disclose And stil betray our cause our shame our youth To lust to follie and to mens vntruth Hatefull confounders both of blood and lawes Vilde Orators of shame that pleade delight Vngracious Agents in a wicked cause Factors for darknes messengers of night Serpents of guile diuels that do inuite The wanton taste of that forbidden tree Whose fruit once pluckt will shew how foule we be You in the habite of a graue aspect In credite by the trust of yeeres can shoe The cunning wayes of lust and can direct The faire and wilie wantons how to goe Hauing your lothsome selues your youth spent so And in vncleannes euer haue beene fed By the reuenue of a wanton bed By you haue beene the innocent betraid The blushing fearefull boldned vnto sin The wife made subtile subtile made the maid The husband scorn'd dishonoured the kin Parents disgrac'd children infamous been Confus'd our race and falsi-fied our blood Whilst fathers sonnes possesse wrong Fathers good This and much more I would haue vttred then A testament to be recorded still Signd with my bloud subscrib'd with Conscience pen To warne the faire and beautifull from ill And ô I wish by th' example of my will I had not left this sin vnto the faire But dyde intestate to haue had no heire But now the poison spread through all my vaines Gan dispossesse my liuing sences quite And nought respecting death the last of paines Plac'd his pale colours th'ensigne of his might Vpon his new-got spoile before his right Thence chac'd my soule setting my day ere noone When I least thought my ioies could end so soone And as conuaid t'vntimely funerals My scarce cold corse not suffred longer stay Behold the King by chaunce returning fals T'inconnter with the same vpon the way As he repaird to see his deerest ioy Not thinking such a meeting could haue been To see his Loue and seeing beene vnseene Iudge those whō chance depriues of sweetest treasure What t is to lose a thing we hold so deere The best delight wherein our soule takes pleasure The sweet of life that penetrates so neere What passions feeles that hart inforc'd to beare The deepe impression of so strange a sight That ouer whemls vs or confounds vs quite Amaz'd he stands nor voice nor body stcares Words had no passage teares no